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Supermarkets in Singapore pull plug on haze-linked firm's products

APD

APD

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(THESTRAITTIMES)TheDairyFarmgroup,whichoperateschainssuchasGuardian,7-Eleven,ColdStorageandGiant,hasalsostoppedreplenishingAPPstock.Itwillcontinuetosellexistingitemstilltheyrunout.

FairPricewasthefirsttomaketheannouncementonWednesday(Oct7)morning,followedbytheotherslaterintheday.

TheiractionscameaftertheSingaporeEnvironmentCouncil(SEC)temporarilysuspendedthegreenlabelofAPP'sexclusivedistributorinSingapore,UniversalSovereignTrading.

WorkersconstructingamarqueeframeatthePadangunderaclearblueskyyesterday,whentheairwasalmostfreeofhaze.At3pm,the3-hourPSIreadingwas72.

OnSept30,theSEChadalsoasked17firms,includingFairPrice,tosignaformtodeclarethattheydonotcarryproductsfromfivecompanies,includingAPP,whichareunderprobeovertheirpossiblelinktothehaze-causingforestfires.Theformalsoasksfirmstostatethattheyhavenotbeenconvictedinanycourtinrelationtothehaze.

OnWednesday,theSECsentthesameformtoPrime,DairyFarm,ShengSiong,Ikea,UnityPharmacyandWatsons.

Ikeasaiditdoesnotbuyfromthefirmsunderprobe.UnitysignedtheformonWednesday,whileWatsonsisstillworkingwithitssuppliersandwillmakeadecisionsoon.

FairPricecarriestwohousebrandgoodssuppliedbyAPPand16otherAPP-relatedproductsincludingthePaseo,NiceandJollybrands.

Alltheseitemswerepulledofftheshelvesatitsover290outlets,includingCheersconveniencestores,by5pmyesterday.

Latelastmonth,theNationalEnvironmentAgencybeganlegalactionagainstAPPandfourIndonesianfirmsitbelievestobebehindtheburning.ThehazefromforestfiresinKalimantanandSumatrahasspreadtoThailandafterblanketingtheskiesandaffectingtheairqualityinpartsofIndonesia,Singapore,MalaysiaandthePhilippinesinrecentweeks.

ThehazeonSunday,whenitwasnotasbadasotherdays.WhenPSIreadingsfluctuateandairqualitydoesnotalwayscorrespondwiththesmellandlookoftheair,hourlyreadingscanhelppeopleplantheirdaysbetter.

ThefinaldecisionwasmadeafterSECtemporarilyrestrictedAPP'sgreenlabelcertification.MrSeahsaidAPP'sproductswouldbereinstatedifthefirmisfoundtobeinnocentandgetsbackitsgreenlabel.

ThemovetopullAPP'sproducts,hesaid,costthechain"millions"."Itdoeshurtusfinancially...butthisgoesbeyondjustthefinancialimpact.Ithinkitistherightthingforustodo,itistheresponsiblethingforustodo,"saidMrSeah.

APP'smanagingdirectorofsustainabilityAidaGreenburysaidthefirm"isfirmlyagainstforestfire"andthatitdeployed2,900firefightersandfiresuppressionhelicopterstodealwiththesituation.